26th July, just a date on the calendar? Not
for many Mumbaikers a few years back in 2005, when the torrential rains created
havoc in the city and the metropolis was flooded causing deaths to many, disrupting
lives, destroying infrastructure and bringing the city to a standstill. To all
the lives lost, may their souls rest in peace!
26th July 2015, a Sunday, another day on the
calendar, an unforgettable one for a batch of 30 trekkers on their way to
Vikatgadh or Peb killa. The monsoons
are a trekker’s delight and the skies promised us of a nice wet day. A few
first timers, a few experienced ones, we were an odd lot but the enthusiasm was
just as much as needed. Vikatgad is so named as it is claimed that it’s shaped
like Lord Ganesha. It’s also called Peb killa, deriving its name from the
Goddess Pebi.
Vikatgadh is one of the many forts lining the Karjat
range of mountains in district Raigad, standing tall at a height of 2100 feet.
From Neral station, one needs to take a share auto to a village called
Fanaswadi, about 3-4 kms from Neral. On a weekend, Neral station is flooded by
the multitude of trekkers and tourists on a trip to the hill station of
Matheran. Outside the station is a vegetarian restaurant ‘Sai Shraddha’ which
is where most of the trekkers halt for a quick bite before they embark on their
trek, hot wadas and missal paav being the all time favourites. There are also
other stalls outside Neral station and it is advisable to get something packed
before you start your trek if you are not carrying a packed lunch.
The trek starts from Fanaswadi and at the base,
surrounded by the village and farms; one can see the ‘V’ shape in the mountain ahead
which happens to be where one is heading. The peak of Vikatgadh is marked by
the temple of Swami Samarth. This is an arduous trek and tests your endurance.
Completely uphill and through the jungle, it took us almost 3 hrs to reach the
summit. We were guided by a local villager. Treading over rocks of various
shapes and sizes, one needs to be extra careful in the rains. Walking the
ridges, there are places where all there is space for is a single step and a
slip could have you tumbling, bouncing and landing in the valley below. And
after about an hour and half of trekking, one comes across a rock patch which
is a difficult one. These are actually two patches bundled into one, the latter
almost impossible to be done without a helping hand or a rope unless you are an
experienced rock climber. I and many others were literally pulled up by our
guide and the trek leaders. I, for sure couldn’t have done it alone since its
right in your face, almost 10 feet tall and there is hardly any foothold to
stick your foot into and heave yourself upward. There are a couple of other
rock patches which are not as difficult as the one mentioned.
Once the first rock patch is crossed, the scenery opens
up to a visual delight. What we saw is near inexplicable; rather words are a
futile medium for expressing the ravishing beauty. The canvas of tall green mountains,
the vast landscape, the lashing rains, tricking waterfalls, the dark clouds and
the strong wind calms not only your soul but eases the mind off the pain in
your legs. The highlight of the scenery was the scattering and playful clouds.
Hiding the landscape, and magically making them appear the next moment, the
clouds were romancing the mountains like never before. Enchanting, enthralled!
Another 30 minutes of climb and one comes across a big cave
at the edge of the mountain with an idol of Shivaji Maharaj and a Shivling. The
cave is maintained by disciples of Swami Samarth. This is a good place to have
lunch if you want to but take care not to litter. Walking against the line of
the cave, about 200 meters ahead comes the first ‘shidi’ or ladder. An iron ladder which sways midway, how
adventurous and the weak hearted dare not see below. Once the ladder is
crossed, there are a few other rock patches but not as difficult as the first
one and then you come to an open space from where you can see the other side of
the valley below and the temple above you. This is where we had lunch, saving
ourselves from the wrath of the chasing monkeys. Beware of the monkeys; they
won’t stop short of slapping you at the cost of grabbing your food. A climb of
another few minutes and you reach the temple. Oh, what a sight, a temple almost
suspended in air, at the peak, at the edge and wherever your eyes roam, the
sight is a joy to celebrate. Experiencing the magic is what needs to be done;
this blog is too small to portray what you actually see and feel there. Into the
distance, one can see the Chanderi pinnacle and Doodhani dam.
Spending some time there, we moved ahead. We didn’t go
back the way we came, thankfully for many of us. We crossed two more shaky ladders,
one person at a time, and took the path which leads to the toy train tracks of
Matheran. Walking to Dasturi Naka along the tracks, from where we were to catch
a shared cab to get down the Matheran Ghat to reach Neral station, you
come across a huge beautiful idol of Lord Ganesha partly carved out of rock.
Zigzagging and zooming down the ghat, we reached Neral in no time and were on
our way back home.
This by no means is an easy trek, rather a wee bit more
than ‘medium’ grade but one of the best and most enjoyable treks I have ventured on
till now!
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